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'International indie' bcg2 has picked up an account double, and they're at opposite ends of the ad spectrum: the Tongan tourism business and Pfizer's Avigra from Viagra incumbents M&C Saatchi.

The Tongan tourism account involved a three month international pitch that saw the final two agencies (Clemenger BBDO was the other one) present in Nuku'alofa to over 20 industry representatives. The win involves completely re-branding Tonga as a tourism destination, advertising, PR, joint ventures with travel industry and airline partners and raising Tonga’s profile in the digital space to reach potential visitors in key international markets. The re-launch of tourism activity for the Kingdom of Tonga is anticipated for the third quarter of 2011.

Tonga’s Ministry of Tourism received eight responses from agencies in New Zealand, Australia and Tonga for the account, which was previously held by an Australian agency.

"We’re on a roll right now. A win like this matters because it shows how a local indie with access into a global network can deliver great ideas for a client who wants world class thinking," says Michael Jarvis bcg2 managing director. "As our fifth new business win since November, four of them in pitches, we’re very pleased with how this year is tracking."

bcg2 is no stranger to the field of tourism and has worked with Tourism Australia, Tourism New South Wales, Tourism New Caledonia, Malaysia Airlines, Accor Hotels and Go Holidays in the past.

"We took the time to investigate this process from a Tongan perspective’ says Abe Dew, bcg2's director of strategy and planning. "It never hurts to step outside adland to understand a client’s perspective, so we reached out to gather insights from New Zealand’s Tongan community as well as investigating the needs of potential travel industry partners."

As for the sexy pills, a slight surprise to hear bcg2 took Pfizer's Viagra/Avigra account without a pitch given M&C Saatchi did some great print work recently. M&C Saatchi chief executive Darryn Melrose is in Germany on business at the moment and couldn't be reached for comment to explain the shift.

Avigra is the new brand for the “little blue pill”, which will compete against a raft of expected generic brand competitors (its patent runs out in the US in March 2012).

“It’s quite an honour to be awarded the account for arguably, the world’s most recognisable pharmaceutical pill,"says bcg2 healthcare general manager Stuart Ogden. "We’re looking forward to taking the new brand in a different direction."

bcg2’s Healthcare’s communications activity for Avigra is set for imminent launch to healthcare professional audiences and then to consumers later on in 2011.

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